The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-20
IN A FLOOD.
BY ADA c. STODDARD.

BY ADA c. sTODDARD.
II think rainy days should be special
ly interdictcd, in March," said my pretty
sister Eva, closing her book with d
yawn. GLOW dolefully poky everything
is"
eyes" responded. gazing from the
window at the dripping elms, "thcre'l Ii
be general inundation if this keeps
on"
''Oh, wish there wouldr cried Eva,
clappiHg her hands. =" What fun it would
be to go sailing
In little bark canoe
over the garden, and round the summer
house, and up to see Dolly Maxwell!
do wish there would"
"Don't say that, Eva"
We turned, Eva and I together, away
from the window toward the fire, which
the raw March weather rendered very
pleasant. We had quite forgotten the
presence of Aunt Lacy, who sat there
gazing so thoughtfully into the dancing
blaze. How fond and proud we were OF
her-of our gracious, stately grand aunt,
with her soft, white hands, and her dear,
beautiful, wrinkled face!
We each drew chair up beside her.
Now, Aunt Lacy" said Eva, 81 saw
story in your eyes"
"Well, yes, my dcars," was the quiet
rejoinder, "thcre is little story which
your chatter brought to my mind. 1t is
not, perhaps, of the thrilling adventure
description, but it may please you now
that you are tired of your books"
"As if you eyer told a story that didn't
please u.s." cried Eva, with little, bird
like carcss of Aunt Lacy's hand. "You're
perpetual reserve fund, Auntie, to he
drawn on when nothing else can please
u.s."
''Flattererr smiled Aunt Lacy, shak-
ing her head. "But Ill tell you the
story.
'It happened when I was eighteen
years old, and lived in Embdcn. You
have been at Embdcn, MarciaT"
"Yes,"I answered; "that pretty vii
lagc so shaded by trees that wonder they
didn't call it Elmden. 1t is at the foot
of mountain, isn't it?"
"YcS-Bcar Mountain; and little riv-
er runs between it and the village. We
lived in large white house almost on the
river bank, and half mile from the main
portion of the village. I kept house fol-
father-your great grandfather then. 1t
was in March-thc spring following
mothers death in the fall. There were
four children at home besides myself.
Willie, the youngest, was but iae days
old when mother died; and you may be.
lieve that, with only an inexperienced girl
to help about the housework, they kept
Inc pretty busy.
81 had lover in those days, an hon
est, straightforward, but exceedingly
hot-headcd young man, with whom l, as
high-strung as himself, quarrcled when
ever an opportunity offered. Strange,
young people will be so perverse.
Grand-aunt Lacy looked at Eva with q
little meaning smile, which Eva under
stood and answered with blush
"We fell into dispute one day con-
cerning the date of some occurrcncc-a
triting thing, to be sure, but neither
would yield to the other, and at length
what had begun ,,good-naturcdly enough
ended in the most serious quarrel we had
ever had.
I" 4 don't careif Inever see you again !!
cried I, angrily.
"'very Well, he rejoined, taking his
hat, you need not
s'But he came to the house the very
next afternoon.
ST have told you it was March. Father
had been away for week attending
court at the shire town, and I was left
alone with Cassie, our help, and the chill
dren. The rain had been falling almost
necessarily for three or four days, and
this, together with the melting SHOWS or
the sides of old Bear Mountain and tho
adjacent highlands, had swollen oul
usually placid little river into rolling,
turbulent torrent, already more than
bank high, and running over the inter
vale below the house. did not feel any
real alarm, however, as l had often seen
the intervalc covered when the river was
up, in the spring.
1t was late in the afternoon when
Herbert came. met him with cool as
sumption of dignity, which he did not
appear to notice.
"'You had better take the children up
to mothers for the night he said, hur,
riedly; the river is high and rising fast,
and the ice is breaking up in the lake
"'No, thank you,' Ireplicd, 4 am sure
there is no. danger
But if the ice goes out, as it certain
" will, it will take the mill-dam and pos.
si5ly the mill, was the persistent rcjoin,
der; and if the dam goes, this house will
be flooded, and may be carried oir.'
MAY bees don't fly in March, said I,
saucily. please do not try to scare us.
"But Cassie, already thoroughly
frightened, declared her intention of 60
ing; and the children begged to go also,
Livery WE'LL said 1, at last, you may
90, all of you. Baby and I will stay and
keep the house from floating away
tried, I remember, to say this very sar.
castically, but it seems to me now that
only succeeded in appearing foolishly
obstinate,